India all-rounder Shardul Thakur has replaced injured Deepak Chahar as a reserve player in the squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup to be held in Australia from October 16.
Shardul will be leaving soon for Australia along with fellow pacers Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj as they join India’s T20 World Cup squad. In the absence of fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, the trio will be looking for a spot in the first XI.
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Earlier, Chahar was named as member of the reserves for the T20 World Cup along with Shami, Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi. The pacer was tipped to replace Bumrah in the 15-member squad. But now that Chahar is also ruled out of the event, the BCCI has decided to send Siraj, Shardul, and Shami to Australia.
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A report said that the team management will be naming a replacement for the injured Jasprit Bumrah in the 15-man squad. Bumrah was ruled out of the competition because of a stress fracture in the back. Shami is the top choice to replace Bumrah but since the 32-year-old will be returning to international cricket after a prolonged bout of Covid-19 and having played hardly any T20I cricket, the odds could go against him.
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Meanwhile, Siraj’s impressive form in the recent ODI series that India won against South Africa could push him into the 15-member squad. He picked up two wickets in the series-deciding third match as the hosts won by seven wickets. He was also named ‘Player of the Series’ in the three-match ODI series, having picked up five wickets.
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Deepak Chahar was in great form since returning from a long injury lay-off during the series against Zimbabwe in Harare. He missed the entire Indian Premier League 2022 season. Shami, Siraj and Thakur will join the squad in Perth where they are currently preparing for the mega event.
